Rulani Mokwena Explains Why He Left MC Alger to Take Over at Al-Ittihad: 'It Was Very Difficult'

Rulani Mokwena has revealed the reasons behind his decision to leave Algerian side MC Alger and take over at Libyan giants Al-Ittihad.

The South African coach has been in the spotlight recently amid false reports claiming he was arrested at the airport.

Rulani Mokwena explained why he chose to depart MC Alger after just eight months, despite the club being in a strong position at the time.

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Speaking to 947 Joburg, Rulani Mokwena explained that his decision to leave MC Alger for Al-Ittihad was far from simple and involved careful consideration of several factors.

He indicated that, although the Algerian club was well-positioned to secure a historic third consecutive league title and had strong leadership and a capable squad, he and his team felt that the timing was appropriate to pursue a larger sporting project.

Rulani Mokwena added that the move also presented an opportunity to support and develop other South African professionals abroad, expanding their experiences and contributing to a broader footballing initiative, which made the decision the right one despite the challenges involved.

“It's quite complicated. To answer it in a few words, it was a very difficult decision. It was very difficult. But we felt it was the right decision. It was motivated by a couple of things. The first one was the fact that the team was in a very good position to continue to win its third league title in a row, and a very historic title for the club,” Rulani Mokwena revealed.

“The president and the players are strong enough to be able to see it through. A lot of people can question the timing. We felt it was the right time, especially because there was a better opportunity to drive a bigger project, a bigger sporting project, and an opportunity also to help quite a few of our South African people, to you know, to explore as we did.”

Rulani Mokwena explained that the initiative would span multiple areas of the club, including the first team, youth development, and women’s football, to empower as many capable professionals as possible.

Mokwena emphasised that the selection would be based not only on nationality but also on the individuals’ expertise, experience, and qualities, ensuring that those brought into the project could meaningfully contribute to the club’s broader sporting ambitions.

“We felt we were presented with an opportunity to give many South African coaches opportunities to work outside of the country, whether that is through the first team, whether that is through youth football space, or whether that's through women's football,” he added.

“The departments that we would be heading, and therefore we'll be looking at trying to empower as many as possible, you know, from South Africa, but of course, the people who are not just because they are South African but also because they have the necessary pedigree, expertise and qualities to be able to support us in the project.”

Rulani Mokwena further explained that his decision to leave MC Alger involved many factors, including the club’s growth potential and the possibility of extending his tenure beyond the current season.

He noted that departing was especially difficult given the challenging period just a few weeks earlier, following the team’s Champions League exit.

Mokwena added that the club, including the players, president, and fans, had made every effort to convince him to stay, and he acknowledged the passionate reactions from supporters on social media and elsewhere, which reflected their deep attachment to the team.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns coach described MC Alger as an extraordinary club with remarkable people, underscoring how much the decision weighed on him.

“But there were a lot of considerations, you know, the growth potential, the potential for possibilities to stay on even further beyond the current season. It would have been more difficult to leave after we had a very difficult period 3 four weeks before this, after the Champions League exit,” he added.

“The club really tried to convince us to stay even longer, the players, the president, and the fans. I think you see the reaction of the fans even on social media, and maybe even with what happened at the airport, because it's the most supported club. I think a lot of that stemmed from the anger of the fans and the people who love and support the football club. It's an incredible club and it's got incredible people.”